WASHINGTON (AP) -- A government employees union is spending at least $1.6 million to try to get nonunion members out to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean in several of the nation's early primaries.þþMost of that -- $1.3 million -- has been spent by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' political action committee over the past few weeks on ads, polling, phone banks, mailings and other primary activities.þþActivities of the AFSCME's People Qualified PAC so far have focused on Iowa, which held its presidential caucuses last week; South Carolina, New Mexico and Arizona, which vote Feb. 3; Michigan, which has its primary Feb. 7; and Wisconsin, which votes Feb. 17.þþThe PAC is spending the money independently of Dean's campaign, which means it can spend as much as it wants to recruit Dean voters.þþIt is unusual for an interest group such as Democratic-leaning AFSCME's political action committee to devote so much money to a primary involving a political party it supports. That's particularly so when all the candidates are sympathetic to the PAC's causes and a costly general election fight against President Bush is coming up.þþRicky Feller, the PAC's director, said Dean, whom AFSCME endorsed, is worth it.þþ``We think he is the most electable,'' Feller said. ``I think some of the other contenders naturally have good labor records, but we think he is the most electable and has the best shot of defeating Bush.''þþThe PAC's resources come at a critical time for Dean.þþDespite support from AFSCME and other key unions, the former Vermont governor and former front-runner for the Democratic nomination finished third behind Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards in Iowa. He also has been placing well behind Kerry in various polls in New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first primary Tuesday.þþDean also has scaled back his advertising to focus on New Hampshire and is prepared to re-evaluate his spending after that. Dean raised a Democratic record $41 million last year -- almost double the total of his nearest money rival, Kerry -- but will not say how much he has left.þþThe AFSCME PAC has spent its $1.6 million since late November.þþIt is reaching out to non-AFSCME members, while the union itself focuses on get-out-the-vote efforts involving the union rank and file. The two are barred under campaign finance rules from coordinating spending plans with each other or with the Dean campaign.þþ
Source: NY Times
